We had a great time at our Overlanding Prep Camp last month! Since you don't often have time to try out your new equipment before a trip, or you have to rely on YouTube videos to figure out how your new accessories work, we thought it would be helpful to host an overnight event where folks could try out their camping gear, cook new recipes and share ideas on rig organization.
We were able to host the event on private land in Lakeville, MN which gave us plenty of room to setup rooftop tents, trailer campers and good old fashioned tents. Once everyone had their sites setup we were lucky to host guest teacher Tabatha Fluhrer, who has been an EMS and tactical trauma instructor for 15 years, and also serves as a local firefighter. Tabatha took us through a fun and informative session on first-aid, where she demonstrated how to dress common wounds, provided tips on safely stabilizing an injured person on the trail, and shared must-haves for our first-aid kits. We were all amazed when she pulled out a piece of pork and an IV filled with Hawaiian Punch to demonstrate human blood flow, giving us a hands-on-experience with how to pack an open wound. We hope we don't have to use these skills, but we definitely feel better prepared if we do!
After our training we were ready for good eats! Amongst the group we had Skottles, Blackstones, and JetBoils. Each person brought something different to cook. We had fun learning about new recipes and discussing tips on how to cook and store food for a several day adventure. Our two favorite recipes right now are chicken fajitas and steak sandwiches. They are super easy to adjust for the size of your group, and easy to prepare ahead of time if you need to.
As the sun began to fade, we were ready for one of our favorite parts of overlanding - campfire! Whether it's overlanding or off-roading, at the end of the day we enjoy how these types of adventures bring people together. We think it's the community and camaraderie that gives it something special. Time around the fire is when you hear stories about new places to explore or even mistakes you don't want to make - it's what makes the experience complete. We had a great time getting ready for the summer season.
We hope to see you soon enjoying your own overlanding adventure!